Replacing gauge cluster light bulbs - ugh!!!
 

I apologize for the long rant for what should be a simple replacement. So my 2001 GMC diesel dually exhibited the classic odometer/gear selector failure . I did the pounding on the cluster face to get the intermittent failure to correct itself but that only worked for a while . Online searches said this was a common failure and can be corrected . I have been waiting for warmer weather due to plastic parts involved that have to be removed . Yesterday was warm here so I removed the cluster .

There is a common solder failure point on this vintage GM product. Plenty of videos showing how to perform the repair . Between my wife and I we have 60 years of solder experience so the repair was easy to perform . So far so good :D

The " while I am in there " syndrome struck and I figured I should replace the 24 year old cluster lights . This is where it all went wrong :( . So there are 10 bulb holders that are a simple 1/4 turn to remove from the PCB . Six are larger in size the other four are smaller . Online searches found several topics stating the bulbs are " easily pulled out " of the holders and replaced with wedge style bulbs . No frigging way !!!!

I pulled/tugged and used soficient profanity and nothing . Stepped up to using tools with the results being two broken glass bulbs . I went to four different parts stores and they all said they should pull straight out . No one at the parts store were successful pulling out a single bulb .

After a LOT of online research it looks like the bulb/holder are assembled as one piece from the factory. They are wedge style bulb bases but the leads are extended and wrapped around contacts inside the holder . That's why they won't pull out :mad: . So I have ordered two different aftermarket bulb holders from an online retailer and these bulb holders ARE designed to take the wedge base bulbs . I hope I ordered the right sizes .

It should have taken 5 minutes to replace 10 bulbs . The new holders are due Saturday so hopefully all will be well this weekend . What a pain in the a$$ !!! The pics below show the back of the cluster and the two different bulb holders/bulbs . End of rant , again I apologize for the used band width .




http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1738247773.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1738247773.jpg

Timely thread. Guess what I am doing today . It came in for an oil pressure sending unit, but it is not the sender, rather the stepper motor for the cluster .
Im gonna have a go at replacing myself 2004 One ton dump.
My 2004 dually, has the same failure as yours .Its intermittent, but always happens in cold damp weather .
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1738249658.jpg

Oh, and if you think these are a pain... My international roll back truck. has 17 bulbs . $22 each . I found replacements online, but several of them burnt out again within weeks of replacement .
I also was pretty sure, I was going to break the circuit board trying to get them in and out . Total brutality , twisting those little plastic fuchers to near the point of failure .
Good luck !

My El Camino is a SS model, but it came with just idiot lights. The only gauges were the speedometer, and the fuel level.

I found a replacement gauge cluster from a local salvage yard. They destroyed the circuit board somehow when they removed the cluster. I swapped over everything, and had to go the the online forums to get the wiring diagram. I built my own wire harness and it has worked fine for years.

One thing about 80s cars is the dash was poorly lighted. "While I was in the there" I painted the back for the blue plastic gauge holder white to reflect more light, and found some brighter bulbs. The new cluster came with a speedometer that had a trip odometer. I had sent it out to a speedo shop to get rid of all the stupid giant 55 in red, and make it a 115 MPH speedo, not top out at 85, and to set it to the approximate mileage the Elky had.

The dash is much brighter, and it is nice to have a tach, temp, oil pressure gauge in addition to the rebuilt speedo with no reference to the insane 55 MPH limit back then.

It was a real effort, but after many miles and years it all works great. A big improvement.

Fastfred if you do a search on GM truck odometer failure you will see plenty of videos on the repair . There is a single row of about 8 pins soldered to the board . The failure seems to always be one or both end pins . In my case both end pins were missing solder . I assume a combination of poor solder wetting and/or cold solder joints .

It is a figidity repair but not hard . Small steady hands help along with a small tipped solder iron . My wife has soldered so much military hardware she can do it in her sleep . In regards to the bulb holders , if I ordered the correct sizes I plan to put dielectric grease on all contact points . Hopefully that makes them easier to install and remove in the future if needed . Good luck with yours .

What no GPH display?
2rd gear is not used nearly enough

An old idea, at one point, was to add plate with a 1.25" gauge cluster to the old center console.
-A Fuel/Air monitor for every cylinder pipe. Bung welded in. Ceramic dipped pipes. etc.
-EGT for each bank. At least.
-Cylinder head temp sensors for each bank.
-Visual light warning when a set limit was exceeded.
-Monitor the engine constantly.


New vehicles freak out whenever you back it up with the door open, have heavy groceries on the seat, or dare to drive a block without seat belt.
They are missing the important stuff..

In my El Camino, I have to wind a crank lever to roll a window up or down. I have to reach over to lock or unlock the passenger door lock. There are no batteries in my keys!

It does have a OBD1 port to tell me if a sensor is out of range with a special reader. Or I can have it blink the Service Engine soon light and count the pulses and decode the error. A few years ago the SEL light came on and dug out the reader and it said than my throttle position sensor was out of range. A new on was cheap, and very easy to replace.

No ABS, traction control, vehicle stability, back up cameras, or tire pressure monitors.

^^^ Glen my dually has manual crank windows , manual door locks . The mirrors are manual and the transfer case is lever controlled vs electronic . There is nothing wrong with the KISS principle :D

Now you know where "Cluster $%&#" comes from...

Exactly :D

The bulb holders were delivered today . I ordered the # 5 and # 10 sizes and they fit ! Drove to FLAPS and bought # 74 and # 194 bulbs .

Put a light coat of dielectric grease on bulb bases and holders and assembled . Happy to report they work . And so does the repaired odometer and PRNDL displays . Good for another 200,000 miles 😆